From today, the public will be allowed to set up internet petitions on a Government website on any subject. Petitions which attract more than 100,000 supporters must be debated in the House of Commons.

However, the scheme is likely to backfire immediately because right wing internet bloggers have been collecting signatures for several days calling for the reintroduction of the death penalty.

Sir George Young, leader of the House of Commons, said MPs cannot ignore the issues raised by the system, which could pave the way for the first vote on capital punishment since 1998.

Writing in the Daily Mail, Sir George – who is overseeing the e-petitions scheme – said: “What else is Parliament for? People have strong opinions and it does not serve democracy well if we ignore them or pretend their views do not exist.”

The concept, conceived in the Coalition agreement, is designed to give ordinary people a bigger say in government and reconnect voters with Parliament amid concerns of waning trust in the political system following scandals such as disclosures over MPs' expenses.

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Petitions which reach the threshold will be considered by a committee of back-bench MPs, who have the power to allocate time in the Commons.

But opponents have raised concerns that it could become a vehicle for campaigners promoting populist causes célèbres, such as a withdrawal from the European Union and the restoration of the death penalty.

Sir George added: “There have been some who have been concerned by some of the subjects that could end up being debated – for example, the restoration of capital punishment.

“The last time this was debated during the passage of the Human Rights Act in 1998, restoration was rejected by 158 votes.

“But if lots of people want Parliament to do something which it rejects, then it is up to MPs to explain the reasons to their constituents.”

The launch of the scheme comes after Andrew Turner, a Conservative MP, claimed this week that the death penalty is the "proper punishment" for some serious crimes.

The MP for the Isle of Wight, said a full Parliamentary debate should take place over whether capital punishment should be resurrected for those who kill children or police officers.

"My instinct is that some crimes are so horrific that the proper punishment is the death penalty," he said.

Other MPs including Priti Patel, for Witham, Essex, and Philip Davies, for Shipley, have supported calls for a Commons debate on the capital punishment.